Informed consent is defined as:

• A. An ethical principle that participants be told enough to enable them to choose
• B. A legal form with no explanation
• C. A public announcement
• D. A contract to provide services

Answer: (A)

Informed consent centers on autonomy: it’s about giving enough information so a person can make a voluntary, knowledgeable choice about participation. It isn’t just signing a form; it requires explaining the purpose, procedures, potential risks and benefits, alternatives, and the right to withdraw, in a way the person can understand. This process respects the individual's ability to decide without coercion. It’s not merely a legal form with no explanation, not a public proclamation, and not a contract to provide services, all of which fail to uphold genuine voluntary decision-making.